Let's just get this one out of the way

I'm so happy these days! One reason is because I don't get that dreaded period anymore. It was an uneventful ending unlike it's beginning... I have had no hot flashes, nothing. My sister Kathy, who is ten years older, told me that's what happened to her so yay! The last period was a doozy. Memorial Day weekend, at the lake. I was a total bitch. I cursed being a woman. Make it stop please! This is ridiculous. I'm not going to have a baby at this point...go away! And it did!

But the first one was not a good one either. Of course I was in my cruddy junior high years. Our new, fantastic modern junior high school was being built so they put my district on the land of an especially cruddy high school in trailers and one church close by. It was messed up. Additionally my parents were getting divorced on top of it. I had especially gotten ugly - complexion bad, unibrow, no figure... I've made peace with the divorce of my parents and all is understood why it happened so I'm not going there. There was something dramatic out of that divorce that leads to this story and that's my dad was living in the house while trying to sell it and mom moved to a tiny apartment. I was given a choice -- do you want to live with your dad in the house you had been living in, in a cool neighborhood. Or do you want to go with your mother and squeeze into the tiny apartment....I'm a girl, I chose my mother. She was easy going and cool and my dad was a little more strict and, for goodness sakes, wanted me to make good grades!

I got my payback however on the first day of my first period. I remember being in one of those stupid, nasty classroom trailers. Bang! It hit me good and it hurt! I was coiled over. One girl was kind of laughing saying 'she got her period.' I made my way to the school nurse. Bent over. 'Call my mom! Call my mom.' For some reason, I don't remember - they couldn't get a hold of her so they called my dad. Dad was a really sweet man. He was a better girl daddy than a boy daddy. He did love his daughters. He came and got me. All he knew was I was having a tummy ache and in great pain. But he kept asking about what I was feeling. I was so shy I just couldn't tell him...He brought me to the house, gave me a heating pad then went back to work.

Just the beginning of several more painful periods... I wondered, however, was it punishment for choosing my mom over my dad...

So good riddance periods! You never did me any good. And thanks to that bitch Eve for eating that apple. That's right...I blame you ...who else can I blame?

About Leslie 5.0

I am leading up to my big 5.0 birthday in October and I'm noticing changes -- no, not that one but others like - I don't care what you think of me! And guess what? On me - it works! My 40s was good but a little annoying and stressful..like my 30s, 20s and yes, teens and even as a child. And now that I turn 5.0 (not using the "f" word), I really need to get over that and myself and what others think. I find as I do it, I actually look better and things fall into place for me easier. Damn it! Why haven't I don't this before! It's like The Secret. You mean I've had the power all this time???

Does this happen to everyone who is turning 5.0? I noticed it did to Oprah. She just looked at ease. Now look at her...she got her "OWN" Network now!

My dear, sweet, much beloved mom left me six years ago but I make it a point to have lunch with her friends every now in then. It's totally and completely selfish of me because it just keeps mom's spirit alive. Plus -- mom told me she would make every effort to "be around." I do feel her presence. Don't think I'm weird -- hey guess what? I don't care what you think! Smiley face! Anyway so I had lunch with Jean Arnold, an old church family friend from Wesley Methodist. We were dear family friends although they never had any kids my age. She told me don't worry about turning 5.0. So much happened to me after I turned 50, it was wonderful. "Hello mom! Did you just go through Jean to tell me that?" So unlike when mom was alive, I listened to Jean.

I've always been the youngest. Youngest of four, youngest in class. I fit the mold of the youngest in my mind. I went through my sister Janet's drawers, I bugged my older brother and sister Kathy and Stan. I was annoying. I got away with things -- lots of things. They helped me get established in my 20s. Now...I'm older and 5.0 was scaring me but not after the meeting with Jean. I listened to her.

My boyfriend Ralph made the comment, "you know, as long as there's always someone 15 years older than you, you're okay." He said that in front of his 91 year old stepmother Henry Etta and sadly, in her world, there is no one 15 years older than her. She told me "the future's not so bright." But she rises above, goes to church, loves on her cats, shares memories of her long deceased wonderful husband and plays bridge.

Funny thoughts are in my head as I move along with this attitude so I thought I would start this blog. Take a journey of discovery with me as I have these realizations that are guaranteed to not be very deep, quick and hopefully in 140 spaces! hahahaha laugh out loud (I'm trying to not do the LOL, LMAOL, ROFL acronyms).